2003 Toyota LAND CRUISER: complaints, problems and recalls
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
10 owner complaints analyzed
1 distinct recall campaigns
100,000 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 2003 model year. Data snapshot: . 7 complaints include usable failure mileage.
Most common problems
Unknown Or Other is the most frequently named component, appearing in 3 of 10 complaints (30.0%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Braking behavior | 4 | 40.0% |
| Steering behavior | 1 | 10.0% |
Topic matches use published keyword rules. They describe mentions, including negations or comparisons, and do not confirm a diagnosis. Read the matching rules.
Component breakdown
Number of unique complaints naming each component. Top eight shown.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Unknown Or Other | 3 |
| Service Brakes | 2 |
| Air Bags | 1 |
| Air Bags:Side/Window | 1 |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Foundation Components | 1 |
| Steering | 1 |
| Structure | 1 |
| Structure:Body | 1 |
Unknown Or Other: 3; Service Brakes: 2; Air Bags: 1; Air Bags:Side/Window: 1; Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Foundation Components: 1; Steering: 1; Structure: 1; Structure:Body: 1
Reported problems by failure mileage
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Under 25,000 | 1 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 0 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 1 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 1 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 1 |
| 150,000 and above | 3 |
Under 25,000: 1; 25,000 to 49,999: 0; 50,000 to 74,999: 1; 75,000 to 99,999: 1; 100,000 to 149,999: 1; 150,000 and above: 3
150,000 and above miles has the most reports with usable mileage (3). 3 complaints have missing, zero or invalid mileage.
Complaints over time
Year the complaint was filed, not the vehicle model year or incident year. The snapshot year is partial.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| 2004 | 3 |
| 2006 | 1 |
| 2013 | 1 |
| 2016 | 2 |
| 2020 | 2 |
| 2021 | 1 |
2004: 3; 2006: 1; 2013: 1; 2016: 2; 2020: 2; 2021: 1
Pattern summary
Unknown Or Other leads the component reports. Braking behavior appears in 4 complaint narratives. Steering behavior appears in 1 complaint narratives. Use these patterns to inspect individual reports and prepare questions for a mechanic.
Calculated from recorded counts. An AI narrative has not been published for this selection.
Examples from the source records
Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.
Owner report 10065728 · 2004-04-07 (April 7, 2004)
UNEXPLAINED ACCELERATION IN MY 2003 TOYOTA LANDCRIUSER. ONCE IN A PARKING LOT ALMOST PUSHING ME INTO PEDESTRIANS WHILE MY FOOT WAS ON THE BRAKE. ANOTHER TIME WHEN MAKING A TURN AND ALMOST PUSHED ME INTO A CAR - MY FOOT WAS ON THE BRAKE AND I DIDN'T HAVE A FOOT ON THE ACCELERATOR. I HEARD YOU WERE LOOOKING INTO THIS ON A CAMRY - I HAVE THIS ALSO AND IT IS A SAFETY CONCERN. I'VE CALLED TOYOTA WITH NO ACKNOWLEDGEMENT THERE IS A KNOWN PROBLEM.*AK
Owner-reported narrative. 10,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10065728 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10067598 · 2004-04-21 (April 21, 2004)
FROM THE TOYOTA INVOICE: "CUSTOMER STATES THE BACK OF THE CENTER CONSOLE FACING THE REAR SEATS GETS VERY, VERY HOT...ALMOST BURNING FINGERS." AND THIS STATEMENT IS CORRECT. THE FOLKS AT CLEARWATER, TOYOTA SAY THERE IS NOTHING MECHANICALLY INCORRECT WITH MY AUTOMOBILE, BUT I AM TELLING THEM, CLEARLY THERE IS SOMETHING INCORRECT WITH MY VEHICLE. THUS MY REASON FOR THIS COMPLAINT.*AK
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10067598 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10069995 · 2004-01-15 (January 15, 2004)
I RECENTLY PURCHASED A TOYOTAL HIGHLANDER WHICH HAS A HEADREST PROBLEM - IT IS SO LARGE THAT IT PUSHES THE HEAD OF THE PERSON IN THE SEAT FORWARD TO THE POINT IT IS VERY VERY UNCOMFORTABLE - IN MY CASE VERY PAINFUL. NEITHER THE DEALER NOR TOYOTA WILL HELP ME WITH THE PROBLEM. I AM NOT THE ONLY ONE WHO IS HAVING A PROBLEM WITH THE HEADREST - NEIGHBORS ARE AND I HAVE SEEN PEOPLE DRIVING HIGHLANDERS WITHOUT HEADRESTS, WHICH ARE A SAFETY ISSUE. IN MY CASE IT IS DEFINITELY A SAFETY PROBLEM - I WAS REAR ENDED TWICE IN A VEHICLE WITHOUT A HEADREST …
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10069995 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10154451 · 2006-04-03 (April 3, 2006)
DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED THE SIDE/ CURTAIN AIRBAGS DEPLOYED. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED MINOR INJURIES. THERE HAD BEEN NO PRIOR ACCIDENT. THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN TO THE DEALERSHIP, BUT NO DEFECT WAS DETERMINED. THE CONTACT WAS INJURES WHEN THE AIR BAG DEPLOYED AND WAS SEEN BY HOSPITAL AND PRIMARY CARE PHYSICIAN. *AK
Owner-reported narrative. 60,081 miles reported. Look up ODI 10154451 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10495073 · 2013-01-29 (January 29, 2013)
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 TOYOTA LAND CRUISER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE TRAVELING 30 MPH AND ATTEMPTING A LEFT TURN, THE STEERING WHEEL TURNED BUT THE WHEELS DID NOT RESPOND. THE CONTACT HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED TO A MECHANIC AND WAS TOLD THAT THE STEERING SHAFT WAS FRACTURED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND THE CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 100,000.
Owner-reported narrative. 100,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10495073 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10884815 · 2016-07-14 (July 14, 2016)
DURING NORMAL DRIVING AND BRAKING CONDITIONS, THE ANTI-LOCK BRAKE SYSTEM ACTIVATES, EXTENDING BRAKING DISTANCE.
Owner-reported narrative. 205,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10884815 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10909745 · 2016-09-26 (September 26, 2016)
AS I WAS DRIVING, THE VEHICLE'S ABS, VSC TRAC, VSC OFF, AND BRAKE LIGHT ALL CAME ON AT THE SAME TIME, WITH AN AUDIBLE BUZZER. ONCE I APPROACHED THE INTERSECTION, I REALIZED THAT THE VEHICLES BRAKES WERE NOT WORKING AND HAD TO PUSH THE PEDAL HARD ALL THE WAY TO THE FLOOR AND PRAYED THAT THE VEHICLE STOPPED. I HAD JUST DROPPED MY SON AND MY NEIGHBOR'S CHILD OFF AT SCHOOL. LUCKILY, THERE WAS NO ONE IN FRONT OF ME AT THE LIGHT AND I WAS ABLE TO AVOID AN ACCIDENT.
Owner-reported narrative. 223,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10909745 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11297568 · 2020-01-07 (January 7, 2020)
EXCESSIVE UNDERBODY RUSTING. I HAVE A TUNDRA WHOSE UNDERBODY WAS CHANGED UPON RECALL BY TOYOTA. CAR IS GARAGED OR LEFT IN DRIVEWAY. EVERY MECHANIC COMMENTS ON EXCESSIVE RUSTING INCLUDING PRESTIGE TOYOTA BUT THEY MAINTAIN IT'S SATISFACTORY. I HAD TO CHANGE THE THING HOLDING THE TIRE BECAUSE IT RUSTED THROUGH CREATING THE DANGER THE SPARE COULD BREAK LOOSE. AAA WOULD NOT CHANGE A SPARE TIRE BECAUSE OF RUSTING THROUGH. TOYOTA THINKS THE RUST IS OK. I DON'T AND WORRY ABOUT SAFETY.I CANNOT REMEMBER EXACTLY WHEN THIS HAPPENED.I CAN'T ACCURATELY RECAL…
Owner-reported narrative. 96,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 11297568 at NHTSA ↗
Recall history
1 distinct campaigns affect this selection. Announcement dates below are different from vehicle model years. A campaign may cover multiple years.
16V065000 · Air Bags:Side/Window
Reported: 2016-02-05 (February 5, 2016)
Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain model year 2003-2006 Toyota Land Cruiser and Lexus LX470, 2005-2006 Toyota Tundra and Sequoia, 2004-2006 Toyota 4Runner and Lexus GX470 vehicles equipped with side curtain-shield-air bags. The affected vehicles have an air bag control module that may be improperly programmed, causing the side curtain-shield-air bags to deploy inadvertently.
Consequence: If the side curtain-shield-air bags deploy unexpectedly, it can increase the risk of occupant injury.
Remedy: Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will replace the air bag control module with one that has improved programming, free of charge. The recall began on December 1, 2016. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-888-271-9371. Toyota's number for this recall is G0C and GLB.
NHTSA campaign record ↗